Boiling-cap.



W. E. LUMMUS. 1

BOILING GAP.

' APPLICATION FILED FEB-8, 1908. I 973,7 95. Ptentedflct 25, 1910.

i? j 1 L A UNITED) TATES PATENT oFFIoE.

WALTER -LUMMUS, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

v roams-car- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 25, 1910. Application filed ltebruary s, 1908; Serial .No. 414,ssa.- I

To all whom it concern: I i Be it known that I, WALTER E. LU MMUS, a citizen of-the United'-States,.resid1ng at.

Lvnn, in the county of Essex and State-of Massachusetts, have 1 invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boiling-Caps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the in vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same. e

The present invention relates to an im: provement in boiling caps for use in distillingapparatus.

The rectifying column 'fhas become the most efficient distilling apparatus for separating volatile liquids. It consists of a se- "ries of superposed communicating chambers or vessels in which the vapor from one cham ber enters the chamber above and by giving up its heat-t0 the liquid contained therein causes that liquid to boil andin turn to give off. vapor. Each chamber has overflow or downflow pipes for carrying off of the excess of liquid therein. A boiling cap con sistingof avapor tube rising from the floor of the chamber above the level-6f the liquid in the chamber, and having a hood or cap which covers the open end of the tube, and. then is extended downward below thesurface of the liquid, is the ,ordinarv'means provided to conduct the vapor pr lower chamber to the next one above and to introduee it into the'liquid of'the chamber to condense such vapor-and to boil the liquid 4. the liquid 'in the chamber, rises in contact 1 with'the hot cap and is not'thoro'ughly' washed by intimate contact with the. liquid.

Again, it does not distribute the vapor evenly throughout the liquid, nor secure the 4 complete envelopment of the bubbles, nor' effect a minute subdivision of the vapor,nor does it set up the requisite currents to mamt-ain a. uniform quality of the liquid. One

improvement on thisboiling cap consisted. in providing the lower edge of the cap with a series of'serrations for the urpose of et'- fecting a more uniform distr bution of the vapor in the liquid, therebycausin a more thorough washing of the vapor'as t e result of such more uniform distribution. Another improvementconsisted in providing the cap uct vof a "with a series of vertical'slots through which the vapor passed into the liquid. This con struction, however, while it secured a more minute sub-division of the vapor for its passage through the liquid, permitted portions of vaporwemerging from the upper ends of the slots to pass through. a less depth ofliquid than that emerging from the lower portions of the slots, with the result that the vapor was'not uniformly washed in its passage through the liquid. -Again,- it caused.

and with the lower surface of the layer in contact with the liquid. The vapor flowsin' this manner to or toward the edge or edges of the plate and then escapes beneath the edge or through slots in the plate and hub bles up through the liquid, being then completely enveloped by the liquid; by this -means more thorough washing of the vapor,

is secured, alsolong contact :of vaporfand liquid by means of which the liquid is heated and the more readily condensable constituents oft-he vapor are condensed,-a 1so all of the vapor iscaused to pass into the liquid at the same depth, and wide, dispersion of the vapor in the liquid is secured.

The invention also contemplates other features of improvement herelnafter pointed out and particularly defined in' the claims.

' To this end in the illustrated embodiment "of the invention the lower edge of the boiling cap is provided, with a lateral horizontally extended flange constituting the plate above referred to which causes the vapor to move horizontally outward andv to be introduced into the'liquid at a distance. from the hot walls of the boiling cap, at a uniform depth in the liquid and at a place in the liquid where it will set up useful circulatory currents. This flange is provided with a v series of radial slots ofuniform length and uniform depth in the liquid through which the vapor emerges I q a The invention consists in the distilling apparatus hereinafter described and particularly-defined in the claims.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the- 3 which is made integralwith the vapor tube, webs 4 being provided to unite the tube and cap. The vapor tube and cap taken together constitute a vapor conductor leading the vapor into the distilling vessel, conduct ing it first above the level of the liquid so as to prevent back-flow of liquid therethrough and then below the level of the liquid where l I it is discharged. From. the lower edge of the cap 3 extends outwardly the horizontal vapor distributing flange 5 thickened atits edge to produce a lip 6 which extends downward somewhat belowthe under surface of the main portion of the flange 5. This flange constitutes a submerged vapor distributing plate under which the vapor is discharged by, t-he vapor conductor. The flange is provided with a series of radial slots 7 which begin at-the edge of the flange and extend inwardly to a point short of the outer surface of the cap.

vapor tube 2 above the normal level of the liquid in the chamber or distilling vessel and passes down between the cap and the vapor tube and then ,flows outwardly in a 'thin layer along the underside of the flange and escapes upward through the slots into the liquid surrounding the cap. It will be observed that by causing the vapor to pass in a horizontal direction along under the flange I of the cap, it is exposed to the washing action of the,liquid and. at the same time, it

there begins to give up its heat to the liquid. Furthermore that upon the amount of vapor passing through the cap will depend the extent to which the vapor will extend outward along; the underside of the flange. In this respect the vapor distributing flange automaticallytakes care of widely varying quantities of vapor without, as in one of the caps referred to, subjecting it to a different depth of immersion in the liquid. When the amount of vapor passing through the cap is such as to exceed the capacity of the slots, then the vapor will press down the liquid under the flange until the vapor may escape around the edge of the flange; the vapor which so escapes is subj ected to substantially the same amount of washing as the vapor which passes through the slots. It will be observed thatfthe vapor passing into the liquid through the slots and around the ed e of the flange is all introduced intothe liquid at a uniform depth and in a finely divided condition without being exposed to contact with the hot cap and at a .place in the liquid where it is completely enveloped by the liq uicl so that it is widely diffused throughout the liquid and its identity is destroyed as much as possible by condensation in. the liq,- uid which is heated thereby and evolves a vapor having a composition unlike the composition of the vapor which enters the liquid. The film of vapor flowing out of a slot into the liquid is as thick as the width of the slot, and a's a consequence, no portion of the vapor is admitted to the liquid at a greater 'distancefrom the liquid .than one-half the width of the. slot. The maximum distance from the liquid at which the vapor should 35 enter the liquid varies with diiferent substances. "In the case of crude methyl alco- 1101, for example, no portion of the vapor should be admitted to the liquid at a greater 7 slots may be used; and in all cases provision a In operation the, vapor rises through the should be had for discharging the vapor I into the liquid at 'a'sutficient distance from the hot cap so that the bubbles shall be completely enveloped by the liquid, introducing the vapor into the liquid at uniform depths, and causing the liquid to travel horizontally under a submerged plate in contact with the liquid. In the case of vapors or gases which offer high resistance to the-washing operation, and which therefore require exposure in exceedingly thin films, wider flanges are used, thus increasing the ratio of the rim circumference to the capacity of the vapor conductor and diminishing the thickness of the vapor films.

The use of the slotted flange, or its equiva-' lent, contributes to obtaining the best results for the reason that it breaks up the vapor into fin'e bubbles, thereby causing an intimate contact. of vapor and liquid. The provision of the widenededgeor lip of the flange is useful where it is desired to provide for wide variations in the capacity of the apparatus, for under ordinary'working conditions all of the vapor will escape 'through the slots, but-when the capacity of these openings is exceeded, the increased pressure will, after first compelling a complete use-of the slots to the extent of their capacity, then permit the excess of gas to esca e under the depressed i-lip which thus 'a ords -a; reserve capacity.

It is to be observed that this boiling cap is made of material of suflicient thickness to be rigid, and, therefore, that it will retain its shape and the position of its parts with relation to the supporting floor of the distilling vessel. 7

The principal advantage of the resent construction, stated broadly,.is the en anced eflective capacity of the cap. By the use of thiscap *a smaller column and fewer chambers may be employed to accomplish the same degree of separation as a much larger apparatus of other Known forms.

While I have used the expression distilling apparatus and have described herein certain operations ordinarily recognized as distilling operations, I do not intend thereby to limit the invention to use in suchconnections, as it may be em loyedin other apparatus performlng ana ogous operations not form width beginning at the periphery of.

ordinarily recognized as distilling operations. J

is claimed is y 1. A boiling cap for distilling apparatus having a vapor tube and a cap provided with a horizontal vapor-distributing flange,

said flange being provided with slots of uni- Having thus described the invention, what the flange and extending inwardly equal distances and terminating short of the outer -surface'of the cap, causin the vapor, as it enters the liguid in the distilling vessel, to be discharge in films of uniformthickness, substantially-as described.

2. A boiling cap for distilling apparatus having a vapor tube and a cap provided with a horizontal vapor-distributing flange under which the vapor is discharged, said flange being provided with slots of uniform widthextendm from the edge of the flange inwardl equa distances and terminating short 0 the outer surface of them causing the vapor, as it enters'the liqui in the distilling vessel, to be-discharg'ed in films of uniform thickness, and a 1i at its edge compelling a complete use 0 the slots to the extent of their capacity before the'va or is allowed to escape'at the edge of the ange, the flange being located at all points at a uniform distance below the level of the liquid adapted to be contained in the distilling vessel, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflixmy signature, in presence of two witnesses.

f WALTER E. LUMMUS.

Witnesses I HORACE VAN EVERE ALICE Aexnoyo. 

